This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

1824 

Vol. 78, No. 6 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2012–0096] 

Notice of Request for Approval of an 

Information Collection; National 

Veterinary Services Laboratories; 

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy 

Surveillance Program Documents 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: New information collection; 

comment request. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice announces the Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service’s intention to 

request approval of a new information 

collection associated with National 

Veterinary Services Laboratories 

diagnostic support for the bovine 

spongiform encephalopathy 

surveillance program. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before March 11, 

2013. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/ 

#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0096- 

0001. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Send your comment to Docket No. 

APHIS–2012–0096, Regulatory Analysis 

and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 

3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, 

Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. 

Supporting documents and any 

comments we receive on this docket 

may be viewed at http:// 

www.regulations.gov/ 

#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0096 or 

in our reading room, which is located in 

room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 

14th Street and Independence Avenue 

SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading 

room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except 

holidays. To be sure someone is there to 

help you, please call (202) 799–7039 

before coming. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

information on documents associated 

with the bovine spongiform 

encephalopathy surveillance program, 

contact Dr. Dean Goeldner, Senior Staff 

Veterinarian, Veterinary Services, 

APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 43, 

Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851–3511. 

For copies of more detailed information 

on the information collection, contact 

Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS’ 

Information Collection Coordinator, at 

(301) 851–2908. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: National Veterinary Services 

Laboratories; Bovine Spongiform 

Encephalopathy Surveillance Program 

Documents. 

OMB Number: 0579–XXXX. 

Type of Request: Approval of a new 

information collection. 

Abstract: Under the Animal Health 

Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.), 

the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department 

of Agriculture (USDA) is authorized, 

among other things, to carry out 

activities to detect, control, and 

eradicate pests and diseases of livestock 

within the United States. APHIS’ 

National Veterinary Services 

Laboratories (NVSL) safeguard U.S. 

animal health and contribute to public 

health by ensuring that timely and 

accurate laboratory support is provided 

by their nationwide animal health 

diagnostic system. 

In 2006, APHIS’ Veterinary Services 

(VS) implemented the bovine 

spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) 

Ongoing Surveillance Program. NVSL is 

instrumental to this program in its 

efforts to monitor and assess changes to 

the BSE status of U.S. cattle and to 

provide mechanisms for early detection 

of BSE, which is a chronic degenerative 

disease that affects the central nervous 

system of cattle. 

As part of the surveillance program, 

NVSL tests and analyzes samples 

assembled from a variety of sites and 

from the cattle populations where BSE 

is most likely to be detected. These 

diagnostic services involve information 

collection activities, such as the USDA 

BSE Surveillance Submission Form/ 

Continuation Sheet (VS Forms 17–146/ 

17–146a) and the USDA BSE 

Surveillance Data Collection Form (VS 

Form 17–131). 

We are asking the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) to 

approve our use of these information 

collection activities for 3 years. 

The purpose of this notice is to solicit 

comments from the public (as well as 

affected agencies) concerning our 

information collection. These comments 

will help us: 

(1) Evaluate whether the collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

Agency, including whether the 

information will have practical utility; 

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our 

estimate of the burden of the collection 

of information, including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions used; 

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and 

(4) Minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on those who 

are to respond, through use, as 

appropriate, of automated, electronic, 

mechanical, and other collection 

technologies; e.g., permitting electronic 

submission of responses. 

Estimate of burden: The public 

reporting burden for this collection of 

information is estimated to average 

0.1000068 hours per response. 

Respondents: Slaughter 

establishments, offsite collection 

facilities for condemned slaughter 

cattle, rendering 3D/4D facilities, 

veterinary diagnostic laboratories, State 

animal health personnel, and accredited 

veterinarians. 

Estimated annual number of 

respondents: 60. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses per respondent: 732.95. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses: 43,977. 

Estimated total annual burden on 

respondents: 4,399 hours. (Due to 

averaging, the total annual burden hours 

may not equal the product of the annual 

number of responses multiplied by the 

reporting burden per response.) 

All responses to this notice will be 

summarized and included in the request 

for OMB approval. All comments will 

also become a matter of public record. 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with 
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 6 / Wednesday, January 9, 2013 / Notices 1825 

Done in Washington, DC, this 2nd day of 

January, 2013. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–00192 Filed 1–8–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2012–0088] 

Notice of Establishment of an Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service 

Stakeholder Registry 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

availability of a new Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service stakeholder 

registry. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Hallie Zimmers, Advisor for State and 

Stakeholder Relations, Legislative and 

Public Affairs, APHIS, room 1147, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20250; (202) 799–7029. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service (APHIS) has established an 

electronic stakeholder registry for 

individuals and organizations interested 

in receiving updates regarding APHIS 

announcements, activities, policies, 

regulations and services. Subscribers 

can choose from an array of topics 

covering all of APHIS’ program areas 

and once registered will receive 

information via email or text tailored to 

their specific interests. In addition to 

choosing topics of interest, subscribers 

may select how often they want to 

receive messages. 

APHIS’ Plant Protection and 

Quarantine and Veterinary Services 

programs are already using this 

subscription service to share 

information with stakeholders. By 

expanding the registry to include 

APHIS’ Animal Care, Biotechnology 

Regulatory Services, International 

Services, and Wildlife Services 

programs, we are adopting an agencywide approach toward increasing 

transparency and communication with 

our many and diverse stakeholders. 

To join the registry and receive 

messages, stakeholders must subscribe 

and provide an email address or 

telephone number. Stakeholders can 

update their profiles at any time using 

this same information. 

Persons interested in becoming 

subscribers or updating their 

subscriptions may access the expanded 

registry at: https:// 

public.govdelivery.com/accounts/ 

USDAAPHIS/subscriber/ 

topics?qsp=USDAAPHIS_1. Subscribers 

can also register or update their profiles 

by clicking on the red envelope on the 

APHIS home page at 

www.aphis.usda.gov. Questions 

concerning the APHIS stakeholder 

registry may be directed to the person 

listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 2nd day of 

January, 2013. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–00193 Filed 1–8–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2012–0004] 

Importation of Fresh Barhi Dates From 

Israel Into the United States 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: We are advising the public 

that we have prepared a pest risk 

analysis that evaluates the risks 

associated with the importation of fresh 

dates of the cultivar Barhi from Israel 

into the United States. Based on that 

analysis, we have concluded that the 

application of one or more designated 

phytosanitary measures will be 

sufficient to mitigate the pest risk. In 

addition, we are advising the public that 

we have prepared a treatment 

evaluation document that describes a 

new treatment schedule for Ceratitis 

capitata in Barhi dates. We are making 

the pest risk assessment and treatment 

evaluation document available to the 

public for review and comment. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before March 11, 

2013. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/ 

#!documentDetail;D=APHIS 2012-0004- 

0001. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Send your comment to Docket No. 

APHIS–2012–0004, Regulatory Analysis 

and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 

3A–03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, 

Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. 

Supporting documents and any 

comments we receive on this docket 

may be viewed at http:// 

www.regulations.gov/ 

#!docketDetail;D=APHIS 2012-0004 or 

in our reading room, which is located in 

room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 

14th Street and Independence Avenue 

SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading 

room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except 

holidays. To be sure someone is there to 

help you, please call (202) 799–7039 

before coming. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Marc Phillips, Import Specialist, 

Regulatory Coordination and 

Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River 

Road Unit 156, Riverdale, MD 20737; 

(301) 851–2114. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Under the regulations in ‘‘Subpart— 

Fruits and Vegetables’’ (7 CFR 319.56– 

1 through 319.56–57), the Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 

prohibits or restricts the importation of 

fruits and vegetables into the United 

States from certain parts of the world to 

prevent the introduction and 

dissemination of plant pests that are 

new to or not widely distributed within 

the United States. 

Section 319.56–4 contains a 

performance-based process for 

approving the importation of 

commodities that, based on the findings 

of a pest risk analysis, can be safely 

imported subject to one or more of the 

designated phytosanitary measures 

listed in paragraph (b) of that section. 

APHIS received a request from the 

Government of Israel to allow the 

importation of fresh dates (Phoenix 

dactylifera L.) of the cultivar Barhi to be 

imported into the United States. 

Currently, fresh Barhi dates are not 

authorized for entry from Israel. We 

completed a pest risk assessment (PRA) 

to identify pests of quarantine 

significance that could follow the 

pathway of importation if such imports 

were to be allowed. Based on the PRA, 

we then completed a risk management 

document (RMD) to identify 

phytosanitary measures that could be 

applied to mitigate the risks of 

introducing or disseminating the 

identified pests via the importation of 

Barhi dates from Israel. We have 

concluded that fresh Barhi dates can 

safely be imported into the United 

States from Israel using one or more of 

the five designated phytosanitary 

measures listed in § 319.56–4(b). These 

measures are that: 


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